Henry Augustus Wise

Henry Augustus Wise (May 24, 1819 – April 3, 1869) was an author and United States Navy officer.

The Wise family moved to Virginia and his Naval career began in 1834 as a midshipman.

Henry served in the Mexican-American War as a lieutenant on board the razee Independence, seeing action in the Gulf of California.

When the American Civil War broke out he considered serving with his home state of Virginia when they left the Union but opted to stay in the U.S. Navy as a captain.

Promoted to commander of the USS Niagara in 1862, he was soon ordered to destroy the Gosport Navy Yard, near his old home.